As of this week, Nashville’s parks have 24.5 miles of mountain bike trails, including 12.5 miles added since 2012.

In the past two years, we’ve heard about a large expansion of the mountain bike trails at Cane Ridge Park, two new trails at Warner Parks and now a new 1.5-mile beginner trail at Bells Bend Park.

“It’s a big part of (Mayor Karl Dean’s) initiative to get people active and moving,” said Neel Deshpande, who is in charge of outdoor recreation for Metro Parks and an avid mountain biker himself.

“It’s fun to see people who haven’t done it get out and enjoy nature doing something that is active, fun and exciting,” he told me, as he and Bells Bend outdoor recreation specialist Chris Guerin led me (haltingly) along the new beginner-rated Bells Bend trail.

(Aside: Yes, Ms. Cheap did go mountain biking. I was not fast or adventurous — more like slow and semi-sure — but I did make it through. Let me just say that mountain biking is physically demanding. I was pooped after my outing, but I speak the truth when I say that if I can do it, almost anyone can! And it really is fun!)

Deshpande said one motive in promoting mountain biking is simply to get people hooked on being outside, exploring trails and spending time in the woods.

“I really do think that outdoor recreation is a great way to introduce people to nature,” he said, noting that once people appreciate nature, they become protective, respectful and maybe even reverent of it.

Guerin, who works at Bells Bend and Beaman parks (and is an enthusiastic mountain biker himself) said that mountain biking fits right into the mayor’s “healthy initiative.”

“It is a place where parents and kids can ride together and connect with nature,” he said.

Guerin said Saturday’s “Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day” at Bells Bend Park would be a perfect time to bring your own bike out or borrow an official mountain bike from the park (they have 14 mountain bikes that folks can try out for free) and do a little riding to see how you might like traversing the Bells Bend fields and bumping along wooded trails in this beautiful park.

“It is just a show-up-and-have-fun kind of day,” Guerin said.

The sponsor, Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), is a 350-plus-member bike advocacy organization that mobilizes volunteers to build and maintain mountain bike trails and also brings mountain bikers together for rides and other events.

Now, admittedly, a mountain bike is not a cheap investment.

Most “decent” bikes start at $400 or $500, but the good news is that the Metro Parks outdoor division has those loaner mountain bikes that you can borrow for a ride. Plus, some bike shops will rent you bikes so that you can give it a try before you buy.

George Khoury, owner of Gran Fondo Trail & Fitness bike shop, for example, has started a bike rental program where you can rent a mountain bike for $50 a day.

“It gives you the chance to try out the sport and try out the trails,” he said, noting that if you do like it, he applies the rental fee to the cost of one of his bikes.

Interest grows

Khoury credits the mayor’s office, Metro Parks and SORBA for the “awesome growth and development of mountain biking. With all of these new miles of trail that have been added, there is a renewed interest in mountain biking.”

Mayor Dean’s administration has managed to expand our parks’ outdoor recreation offerings by adding all these miles of trails for a variety of ability levels and in different parts of the city.

“It’s a great thing to have more mountain bike trails available in Nashville,” the mayor said. “These trails provide a fun way to be active and enjoy the natural beauty of our city’s parks.”

Nashville’s first mountain bike trail at Hamilton Creek Park opened in 1993. Mayor Dean opened the city’s second mountain bike trail in 2012 at Cane Ridge Park, which includes 2 miles of beginner/intermediate single track.

He also opened the Warner Parks mountain bike trails (trailheads are at Percy Warner Park Golf Course and the Deep Well park entrance), and now the Bells Bend trail is ready to ride.

Making the trails accessible has been a boost to the sport in general, according to Michael Modesto at Cumberland Transit bike shop on West End Avenue, who said the opening of the Warner Parks trails had sparked a lot of interest in bikes at his store.

“Now that there is a trail within 10 minutes of our store, people are interested,” he said, adding that his store plans some introduction to mountain biking classes and tie-ins with Metro Parks events.

There is more to come on the mountain biking front — this is a sport that is definitely gaining traction.

Stay cheap!

Reach Ms. Cheap at 615-259-8282. Follow her at www.tennessean.com/mscheap, at Facebook.com/mscheap and on Twitter @Ms_Cheap, and catch her every Thursday at 11 a.m. on WTVF-Channel 5’s “Talk of the Town.”

Metro government funded all of the professional design and trail construction at Warner Parks. The Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) Middle Tennessee Chapter, which was created in 2005, has provided much of the manpower for the trail building at other sites. The chapter’s “stewardship” reaches throughout Middle Tennessee to trails in Bells Bend, Lock 4/Gallatin, Montgomery Bell State Park, Long Hunter/Jones Mill, Cane Ridge and Hamilton Creek.

SORBA also brings together other volunteers to help. For example, more than 80 volunteers from the Boy Scouts of America, United States Navy and Tennessee State Trails and Greenways contributed close to 900 hours on the design, planning and construction of the mountain bike trails at Cane Ridge. SORBA’s fundraising goes toward the purchase of trail-building tools, other supplies, operational expenses and food and water for volunteers.

What’s the difference between a mountain bike and a road bike, and are they more difficult to ride?

Metro Parks’ Neel Deshpande explained that “mountain bike tires are wider … they have big knobby tires,” more like motocross motorcycles. He said the gear ratio is essentially the same. “If you can ride a road bike, you can ride a mountain bike. Just slow down and keep moving,” he said.

How much does a real mountain bike cost?

The price range for mountain bikes is anywhere from $400 to $4,500.

Are there specific mountain bikes for kids? Or can they ride their regular bikes on the trails?

There are mountain bikes especially made for children in 20-inch and 24-inch models, but many ordinary children’s bikes with wider tires will be adequate, particularly on the beginner trails.

If people have bikes to donate to the Metro Parks mountain bike program, what is the best way to do it?

The program welcomes donations of mountain bikes and of children’s bikes that can make the trails, as well as bike helmets. If you have items to donate, contact Chris Guerin at the Bells Bend Nature Center at chris.guerin@nashville.gov or 615-862-4187.

Where are the best places to find mountain bike events and resources?

• The preeminent mountain biking group is the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA). Visit them at www.sorbamidtn.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IMBASORBAMiddleTN.

• The Tennessee High School Cycling League has three participating high school biking groups in Tennessee: Ensworth, University School and St. Andrews-Sewanee. Visit www.tennesseemtb.org/teams for more information or search Tennessee High School Cycling League on Facebook.

What: “Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day,” sponsored by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), designed to introduce families to the sport and to celebrate the opening of the beginner trail at Bells Bend Park.

Children should bring their own fat-tired bikes and helmets (most kids’ bikes can handle these trails). Adults can bring their own mountain bike or borrow one from the park. Mechanics will be on-site to do free bike inspections, and there will be kids’ rides to show them some skills and techniques.

“Parents are encouraged to ride with their children,” said Darryl Glascock, a SORBA leader, who said the goal is to introduce the sport and instill some confidence in children who are ready to try trail riding. He said children as young as 2½ have participated in past events. “It’s very casual. If they can ride a Strider bike, they should be fine.”

• The newest trail is the one at Bells Bend Park. It is a beginner trail and is just less than 1.5 miles. There are 14 adult mountain bikes that you can borrow almost any time at Bells Bend. Just trade your driver’s license for a bike and hit the trail. The hope is for the Bells Bend trail to expand to 5 miles.

• Percy Warner trails consist of9 miles of trails that run through the northwest section of the park, with trailheads at the Percy Warner Park Golf Course and the Deep Well park entrance. These trails include some for starters and some for more advanced bikers. Details: 615-429-3549.

• Hamilton Creek Park has the most established trails. The park is located off of Interstate 40, past the airport going east. Take exit 219 at Stewart’s Ferry Pike, which will turn into Bell Road. Follow Bell Road about 3 miles to the park entrance noted by a Metro Parks-U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sign.

With just a little more than 11 miles of single track, the park’s site claims that “Hamilton Creek has enough limestone rock and exposed root to satisfy even the most discerning of technical riders.” Rated as an intermediate/advanced trail system, Hamilton Creek offers two loops of varying difficulty. The Lakeside Trail (intermediate, 4.5 miles) gives you numerous opportunities to practice your skills on a technical single track. The Pinnacle Trail (advanced, 6.5 miles) flows at a faster pace and constantly challenges you. Details: http://webelevation.com/hamcreek.

• At Cane Ridge, a newly constructed 2-mile section is the beginning leg of a proposed 9-mile trail system. It’s being built in three phases and is rated beginner to intermediate. The park is located along Davidson County’s southeastern border with Rutherford County, just off Battle Road.

• You also can enjoy a serious bike ride at the Lock 4 Bike Trail in Gallatin, off Lock 4 Road off Highway 31. You can try the challenging mountain bike trail known for XTERRA mountain bike races and triathlon events. There’s a 9-mile USA Cycling-sanctioned base course and a 3-mile kids’ course you can ride daily. The Lock 4 Park also has picnic areas, and you can walk along the shores of Old Hickory Lake. Details: 615-822-2512.

• Other good mountain biking spots are Long Hunter State Park’s Jones Mill Mountain Bike Trail, a 3.5-mile loop for hiking or mountain biking (615-885-2422), and more than 20 miles of mountain bike trails at Montgomery Bell State Park (615-797-9052).

]]>0Darrylhttp://sorbamidtn.org/?p=21022014-08-25T05:21:23Z2014-08-25T05:21:23ZCane Ridge Trail phase 2.1 (additional 2.4 miles) is now ready to ride! More rolling and skill features will continue to be developed as we burn in the ride line. Please thanks all our trail building volunteers that continue to enhance MTB in Middle Tennessee!

Volunteers Needed! Again, time to RALLY and help bring this GATEWAY inspired trail to life. YOUR help is need to shape the open field sections and help us connect phase #1 to a full loop. We have prepped and ready for dirt buffing and shaping (digging, plenty of raking and de-stobbing). Bring your bike for a TEST RIDE.

Join mountain biking and craft beer enthusiasts in Middle Tennessee for another Ale for the Trail craft beer tasting at 6:00pm on Saturday, May 3rd at Land Rover Nashville. Proceeds benefit local public land trail projects and youth programs. The event features award-winning brews from 14 local and national breweries and prizes donated by cycling industry and local businesses. The donation also includes a souvenir tasting glass, amazing hors d’oeuvres and more.

Early Bird Special! Get your tickets by April 12th (noon) and tickets are only $35 donation. Ticket prices then go to $40 through April 24th. After 4/24, you can donate at the door the day of event at Land Rover Nashville for $45. So, register and DONATE now so we can plan on seeing you and your Trail Love Friends!

Get your ticket(s) to win a Lynskey Titanium 29 or 27.5/650 Frame valued at $2600. Drawing for this bike frame will be during a June social event TBD.

Ale for the Trail is for ages 21 and up. Visit eventbrite.com for additional info and share with your trail friends.

This just in (2/15/14)! Last minute ride information to help enjoy the ride! Click here for event email.

40 or 26 mile Gravel Social Ride to Support IMBA-SORBA Middle TN Trail Advocacy and Trail Machine Fund. Great Brew (Oskar Blues), Grub and GRAVEL. Bonfires and Social for post ride festivities. This being the post-Valentines weekend, be sure and bring your sweetie, but STAG still gets SWAG! This ride is great for almost ANY bicycle. With gravel and some moderate creek crossings, a cross or fat tire is recommended. Some great gravel climbs and scenic Hickman County will offer one epic social ride. Perhaps a few games along the way?

This event is mostly self-supported, but we will have riders on sag support. Many riders may go off the front and plenty will ride as a group as a “no drop” social crew. Q-sheets will be posted on event site soon.

Membership and Volunteer Support is the life blood of our organization. You can also HELP us ENHANCE Trail Features and More Trails with YOUR contribution and support. 100% of this fund goes directly to the purchase and operation of a Trail Building Machine. Give to the IMBA-SORBA Middle TN Trail Fund and help bring these trials to life!

]]>0Darrylhttp://sorbamidtn.org/?p=19642013-11-11T04:50:30Z2013-11-11T04:42:12Z“Why is the trail closed today?”…”It didn’t rain that much did it?”…”Isn’t mud part of mountain biking?”….

All good and sincere questions we hear going into a much less dry part of the year. All of us, including hard working trail repair volunteers, hate when we have an opportunity to get on trail, but realize upon unloading the bike that your front wheel or critical part of your gear is….STILL AT THE HOUSE! Well that same disappointment (if not more frustrating) is felt when you arrive and the trail is CLOSED… and just not in good shape to handle even a few riders, but scary when we have a normal high traffic day.

“Riding and racing in the mud isn’t just bad for the trail, it’s bad for your bike, too. The grit works its way into bearings, pivots, anything that moves, and wears it out much faster”…Singletracks.com

Rutting, blowing out burmed corners, taking away drainage notches/dips and ripping up the nice “burn in” cap we have created establishing a killer line, can all be trashed in a hurry. This means the trail WILL NOT drain well the next rain either, and then the problem grows. Some issues are not repairable as we have seen at sections of some Middle TN trails with so much soil lost or a trouble area was not re-routed.

“The best way for us to teach what works, what damages and what is too wet? Come to a volunteer workday! “

Look for trailhead postings and information soon (Warner is Beta Test). SORBA Mid TN is working with each land manager to make sure we are posting accurate and educated conditions in a timely fashion, as they don’t all react to rain and weather the same. IMBA is working on regional guides and policies to support area land managers and chapters offer accurate and consistent trail info. Area volunteers are being educated and embraced to offer on site info as part of this process.

Also, we have worked hard to roll out and manage a trail conditions resource trails.sorbamidtn.org. There will never be a perfect system for rating what is good/poor/bad to ride as there are so many variables. We ask that all riders refer to Rules of The Trail, use good judgment and avoid harming a ONE of the three vital parts of our experience, the one YOU can ALWAYS control.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Learn how to build and maintain sustainable trails!

New trail corridor for PHASE 2 Continues and we want you to be part of this project!
We are meeting at MAIN TRAILHEAD parking lot for a shorter hike in to work area. Please RSVP on the “Get Tickets” link.

]]>0Darrylhttp://sorbamidtn.org/?p=18712013-11-07T00:51:43Z2013-10-17T22:33:15ZWe have come so far and now overwhelmed with the REALITY that mountain bike trails are now part of the daily thrill at Warner Parks.

Thanks to our Parks staff and management for all their hard work and bringing Mayor Carl Dean’s commitment of spectacular mountain bike trails to fruition.

SOFT OPENING AND RIDE SOCIALFollow this event on:

As this is the moment you have all been waiting for. Metro Parks (Awesome!) is going to have the temporary parking and trailhead finished for us to go out and enjoy what could be the best thing to happen to the Mountain bike community here in Nashville in a very long time.

When: Oct 27th 2:00pm (or all day)

Where: Temp Trailhead – follow gravel drive from Warner Golf Trailer off of Forest Drive on the north end of Warner Park. Avoid parking or riding in from Deepwell entrance. Please consider riding into park from north or even parking at Gran Fondo so you can return to the post ride social (see map links below).

We will have a tent with membership info for those that need to renew your memberships or for your buddies that need to join for the first time.

Look for the signs just past Cheekwood. There will be a NEW gravel driveway leading to temporary trailhead – MAP LINK:

After riding we will roll down to the Gran Fondo Trail & Fitness parking lot off of Hwy 70 for a 4:00pm social gathering with swag, souvenir T-shirts, etc… There will be drinks and a food truck if enough of you sign up….SO MAKE SURE YOU CLICK HERE TO RSVP FOR POST RIDE SOCIAL! See map below if you plan to ride from trailhead to Gran Fondo Trail & Fitness.